See how it’s still bloody? He is SO PROUD.

So, yeah. Last night, Lucas lost his first tooth. I know it sounds crazy, but this moment has been lurking in my mind and heart for about two months now. Last month I decided how it would go. I visualized the tooth pillow I wanted to make for him. I imagined having this tooth pillow (a small pillow with a pocket to put the tooth in, so the Tooth Fairy doesn’t have to dig through the pillows and sheets in his bed to find a tiny baby tooth!) ready to hand him as soon as he showed me his gappy smile and his beensy tooth cradled in the palm of his hand.

I didn’t go that way. I admitted to Lucas that I had started this project, but that it wasn’t finished yet. Then I promised that it would be done that night, so that we could put the tooth in the pocket for the Tooth Fairy to find it.

We bundled him off to bed … again. (That’s where he was at 8, wiggling and worrying that tooth right out of his head.)

Then, I pulled out my pillow project and started sewing like mad. Two hours later, I had this:

I had hand-painted the cheesecloth trim with watercolors a month ago. I had felted wool roving onto a wool felt background three weeks ago in the hopes it would look like a "bimulous night, when the sky is like lace." I had needle-felted the fairy last week.

In a mad dash (I’ve never sewn so fast), I felted the curly yarn border onto the face of the pillow, attached my 3-D fairy to the fabric, sewed the moon pocket on with a crappy whip stitch (Ian cut out the moon for me), and stitched the sides together. Then I stuffed the pillow with Border Leicester wool roving and sewed up the last edge. It was after 11 p.m. when I finished.

You can see a little more detail in this picture. She has rainbow hair.

What colors does the Tooth Fairy wear? I pondered this question for several weeks before I decided that she would wear white and pink, in honor of healthy teeth and gums. See what a nutball I am?

Anyway, this morning, Lucas discovered in the pocket of his brand new tooth pillow a $2 bill! (It was all the cash we had in the house!) He was very excited, and says he likes the pillow.

Then we had a big fight about getting dressed for school and he screamed at me, "You know, mom, I’m growing up! I don’t have to do everything you say!"

…

What? You were hoping for a romantic ending to this story?

Lucas just lost his first tooth.
 

I’m not ready!! I had big plans. I have started the tooth pillow, but have not finished it yet.

My baby just grew up a little bit more.

Dearkimkimkaree  ,

Happy Birthday, Baby! When I reflect on what your friendship has meant to me over the years, I feel both jubilant to have you in my life and sad you are away doing your thing. But I don’t worry about the time that passes in between visits, because I know you’re a soul-sister and we’ll always be friends. You are trusted, tender, brave, and glorious. I’m thrilled that you’re pursuing this dream of yours and working so hard at it. Life has opened itself to you in this way, and your loving, observant eye can capture slices of it forever. I love your ready laugh, your beautiful sparkly smile, your warm hugs, and your insight. I hope today brings you tremendous joy, success, and love from all over the globe. Knowing how many friends you have, I’m quite certain it will. Good luck with all you’re working on, don’t forget to take care of yourself, and have heaps of fun! Happy Birthday, my sweet!

Love,
Sara

Dear  ,

Sorry to be writing this so late, but I’m hoping late is better than not at all.

My dear, you are a joy to be around because of your effervescence, your whip-smart mind, your natural beauty, and your constant consideration for others. I admire how you go after what you want in life, how you are always striving to better yourself, always examine the things that bother you, and always pursue new knowledge and new skills. I love you for all that you are and all that you are becoming. I treasure our growing friendship and plan to nurture it well in the future. I hope your birthday was wonderful, and that your dearest wishes come true.

Love,
Sara

Next Saturday is a giant fundraiser/festival at Lucas’s school, Sacramento Waldorf School. It is the annual Harvest Faire and it is tons of fun. All the families show up for a good time, games, activities, foods, archery, puppet shows, raffles, etc. It is put on by the Parent Guild and all the items, work, food, etc., are donated by the parents and friends of the school. Then the parents and friends of the school buy/do more stuff at the Faire.

Here’s what we are expected to do for the Harvest Faire to help make it a success:
1. Donate 10 handmade items to the Children’s store, a place where only young children (Pre-K through 5th grade, I think) can enter and can purchase things for themselves, or gifts for their loved ones (the holidays are coming, after all); proceeds go to the school
2. Donate 10 handmade items for the Country Store (hats, sweaters, scarves, jewelery, toys, home decorations, preserves, and other craft items are sold and proceeds go to the school)
3. Donate a homemade cake for the cake walk
4. Donate a homemade dessert to be sold piece by piece at Café Waldorf, a place to eat goodies and drink tea
5. Buy and/or sell 20 $1 raffle tickets; the raffle prize is a handmade quilt
6. Volunteer 2 hours to work at the Faire
7. Attend the event and buy tickets so that you (your kids) can participate in all the fun activities

So far, I think we are into the Harvest Faire for over $100, and we haven’t bought any tickets or done any baking yet. Oy!

And yet …

We are having lots of fun making things for this year’s Faire. We’ve been working on them all weekend, and much of last week, too. I’ll post some pictures of our several projects soon. (Right now, I’m too sleepy.)

Of course, he passed his BCBA exam! This is a VERY HAPPY  .

Congratulations, my love. I’m very proud of you.

Is Asher so carnivorous because I ate low-carb for so long? 

Meats he loves: chicken, beef, ham, bacon, sausages, salmon, eggs, and cheese if you hide it.
Veggies (ha!) he loves: onions, french fries, apples.

IMG_7824
Originally uploaded by SarabellaE

I’ve posted a bunch of photos from my friends’ wedding in Yosemite. I’m excited about how some of them turned out. I really hope the bride and groom will be happy with them. Check ’em out!

I wish I knew more about technical stuff before I shot this wedding. I also wish I had post-production editing skills, but I don’t. Someday I will learn this stuff, hopefully before Asher leaves for college.

Deartara_bella ,

Happy belated birthday, Tina. I hope you always find ease and love, warmth and hope, laughter and comfort in life, even in the darkness. You never fail to inspire, assist, forgive, and hold others in safety, and for that, I am grateful. Thank you for being my forever friend.

Love,
Sara

Dear  ,

Happy birthday, my dear! When I reflect on how long we’ve known each other, I realize it has been all of our adult lives! And in that time, you’ve made me laugh, helped me learn new and seemingly overwhelming things, been by my side during exhilarating and challenging experiences, and through it all, I have always known your brilliant, talented, listening heart is only a phone call away. I thank you for your friendship and brotherhood (if that doesn’t sound dumb), and look forward to many, many more years of sharing the ride with you. I hope your birthday has been beyond wonderful.

Love,
Ruby Loamsdown of Deephallow